Today was disappointing but its not the end of the world. However there is work to be done before we face Leeds in two weeks.

We conceded three tries from Dobson kicks on the last tackle.To be fair we have always been rubbish at defending kicks to the corner and we need to learn how to do it.

McDonnell needs to practise catching bombs.

In the two games I've seen Holdsworth has not impressed me. He was better with Seymour, who had his best game for a while and I think they should be our starting halves and we should train on the basis that they will be.

I thought e missed Willie Manu today. Ellis runs hard and tackles hard but he's not explosive like Manu and nor is anyone else in the team.

Hopefully today will be a wake up call for the lads and they'll be much improved at Leeds.

Haven't seen Rovers play so obviously can't comment too much, but on paper I think Rovers will be about 10th again. Of those you listed I also think London will be better now they've got rid of Powell, & Bradford are quite an unknown quantity who are probably the most difficult to call in the whole of SL.

I also think Wakey might be 7th, not just sneaking into the playoffs. I have a suspicion Hudds may go backwards alarmingly this year.

Tim smith may have broken a leg today so that will massively impact on their season if that's confirmed

Today was disappointing but we will be sharper for the run out it is not the end of the world. This is probably the wake up call that we needed before the start of the season and is that not what friendlies are for?

I thought defensively we were good for most part of the game also Seymour seemed to have his best game for a while and we just got to hope he continues in form. I was impressed with Johnson and looks like we have got a good buy. McDonnell did let the ball bounce a few times but i am sure Gentle will sort this out and tell him not to let it bounce but he should know this his self.

The most important thing was we never got any injuries from the game which is a massive positive. We have got two weeks to put it right for the Leeds game and i am sure we will be better against Leeds after today's defeat.

We have a lot of work to do with ball in hand, part of this is blooding a new halfback pairing plus Holdsworth hasn't settled yet. Gentle needs to decide on a halfback pairing and stick with it.

Defensively I think we will be ok but we must kick better and and create more. We don't have the easy option of Manu as a get out of jail card this year. Ellis also needs to improve and i'm sure he will.

ellis is an experienced old hand, he knows you get no prizes for going full tilt in a meaningless game. he'll come good, and the same applies to a few of the other experienced players too

I agree. I'm not worried but we do have some work to do. Still think between 4-6th for us.

If we get knocked out of the CC in the last 8 at Saints ( just for e.g.) and finish 5th - does anyone on here really think Gentle will be still in a job by September ?

AP is ruthless and will leave no stone unturned - also he knows what to do as he spent many a year in soccer and just look at Nigel Adkins !

Yes he'll still be here, he's in it for the long haul and AP knows success doesn't come overnight.

No Manu, no threat.

Been saying it for months - that right side for Hull is very weak.

Crookes & Arundel aren't brilliant in defense and dealing with kicks - they were targetted in the first half and it paid dividends for Rovers. Neither players have the x-factor in attack (although they didn't get too many opportunities in that first half). Crookes did score but that was more down to Seymour's vision and decent kick.

Lineham played really well when he came on. He gets some great yards running out of his own 20, and seems really confident despite his age and coming back from a bad injury. I reckon he'll have a starting place by the end of the year year, if not sooner.

Ellis was class - great to see a player of his ability playing rugby in the city.

two weeks to sort out the fact we need a fullback and a quality half back, we knew that in September.

I agree Ellis is class, his defense is awesome and I am sure he will just get better & better.

Bollox.

No settled halfback combination = No threat.

Yep...

We're obviously going for an all round faster team, with more emphasis on a quick play the ball and getting on the front foot. While Manu was a beast he did slow our attacks down by slowly carrying two or three on his back, which allowed the defence plenty of time to get set. Moa we will miss big time, but O'Meley wouldn't have been offered a deal if he'd stayed.

Nevermind, we'll forget this year and focus on 2014

Their can be no hiding the fact that you'll miss Manu, the Manu-yeaman, Briscoe partnership was very strong both in defence an attack, Gareth Ellis as good as he maybe is a simple attacker, not a tackle busting creative runner like Manu. Think you'll have to hope holdsworth can link well with that left hand side otherwise the threat of a great player like Tom briscoe is going to be nulled massively imo. See how it goes.

Bigger , faster , brighter? Than who? We certainly looked smaller than Rover's pack and got bullied , we were woefully slow especially at the ptb with Houghton looking dreadful ( not sure whether that was his sideway shuffle dummy and pass or the forwards being on the back foot that caused that) and there was very little if any signs of any organisation from our pivots or the experienced players brought in.
The only time we looked anything like was when Seymour and Holdsworth/Horne occupied the halves and Heremaia was running quick and straight at 9. Huge amount of work to do but we've got to play people in their proper positions from now on.

Just reading Gentle saying your in a similar position now as you was last season yet I read not so long back that your pre season is way ahead of schedule.
Unless you can find a partnership that works in halves you will not be as strong as you where last season, the squad has just not been improved enough.

Standee in moaning shocker.

tommy in accepting second best, no shock.

please tell me where I've accepted anything?
Was impressed with McDonnell in attack, needs work on his kick takes. We have at least 4 options for the halves, were we tried a number of combinations with yesterday. As far as I'm concerned we now know which one is the best. We know we what areas we need to work on - stopping easy offloads, defending kicks. I take that as what a per season friendly is all about. But that's just me.

we may now know what the best combination is that we have available, but is it good enough?, and we knew McDonnel was suspect under the high ball already, but that's just me.

I dont think you have that many areas to address to be honest. The problems seemed more structural than an actual issue with the personel. The easy solution is to let Heremai (sp) share the hooking duties with Houghton. Let Seymour have first stab at the 7 shirt and start Pitts at 13 to bring a bit more stiffness to your pack. God knows what has happened to Westerman. Lineham must be nailed on for a wing spot and Tickle will be back to give you more go forward and spell Galea.